At all times during the COVID-19 pandemic we have sought to prioritise the health, safety, and wellbeing of the ACS community, supported by health and safety committees at each campus who are led by a full-time group health and safety professional with industry-leading external advisors.
We will be fully compliant with UK Government guidance on the full return to school: following public health advice, revisiting all aspects of school operations, planning robust contingencies for further outbreaks, and carefully assessing all health and safety risks.
Following Government guidelines, ACS schools in the UK began a phased return to on-campus learning that safely brought back more than 250 students supported by 120 faculty and staff to our spacious and well-equipped facilities. (Students who could not return to school continued in distance learning.)
ACS classrooms will accommodate full enrolment with 1-metre of social distancing. Detailed studies have shown that our current facilities (with some re-allocation of learning spaces) can serve our entire school population with 2-metre social distancing requirements should that become necessary in future.
Any decision to return to school is based on very careful review, risk assessment and consultation. Our families can be assured that we have complied with the Government’s latest guidance on managing the risk of COVID-19, and that we have are safer working together to ensure a COVID-secure school for all members of the ACS community by:
ACS schools will implement all essential measures, including:
How contacts are reduced will depend on each school’s circumstances and will (as much as possible) include:
School leaders, teachers and an experienced estates and facilities team will work together with our full-time health and safety professionals and industry-leading advisors to ensure that students and staff are as safe as possible – while we deliver a broad and balanced education.
From boarding the bus in the morning, to reaching their classrooms, what classrooms look like, how students study music, science, art and physical education, where they eat lunch, changes to recess, providing after-school clubs and activities, and getting home safely at night – throughout the day, the health and safety of our students, teachers, staff and visitors has been, and remains our number one priority.
All staff receive training in infection control, and we have enhanced cleaning regimes for all facilities that follow guidelines from the British Institute of Cleaning Science. Every indoor environment has been reviewed with respect to its HVAC profile and air circulation patterns to decrease potential sources of transmission.
We provide individual risk assessments for ethnic minorities and other groups who may be especially vulnerable, and work with clinically vulnerable individuals to meet their needs. Our current Parent Risk Assessment and Return to School policy will be updated for the start of the new academic year.
As the world learns to live with the coronavirus, it’s never been more important to exercise good public health citizenship. We expect members of the ACS community to help keep each other safe and well by:
Staying home when you’re not feeling well – especially if you or your child has coronavirus symptoms, and request appropriate testing
Self-isolate when indicated
Understand and follow Government guidance for everyone in your household, including any travel restrictions of quarantine requirements
Maintain good respiratory and hand-washing hygiene at school and at home
Cooperate with NHS test and trace.
ACS facilities teams have undertaken a full review of learning spaces, common areas and furniture to ensure safe and secure school operation.